Engine rocker arm



Dec. 20, 1955 J. LEAKE ENGINE ROCKER ARM Filed Sept. 15, 1951 INVENTOR.

United States Patent ENGINE ROCKER ARM James M. Leake, Monroe, Mich. Application September 15, 1951, Serial N 0. 246,737 1 Claim. (Cl. 123-90) This invention relates to rocker arms and more particularly to the type used in the valve operating mechanism of overhead valve internal combustion engines using hydraulic push rods.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an engine rocker arm, having a single layer plate metal arm memher, with an internal oil passageway whereby oil under pressure can be fed to a concave contacting hearing. A convex contacting bearing is provided at one end of the rocker arm. This contacting bearing engages the push rod. At the other end of the arm member, on the under side thereof, is located a recessed concave contacting bearing adapted to engage the stem of a hydraulic valve lifter. An internal oil passageway extends from the inner surface of the hub to the concave contacting bearing.

The object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm, having a single layer plate metal arm member, with an internal oil passageway whereby oil under pressure can be fed from the inner surface of the hub to the concave contacting bearing.

Other objects of my invention reside in the novel arrangements and combination of parts as will be more clearly brought out in the following description. With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangements of the parts of my novel device as described in the specification, claimed in the claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an engine rocker arm embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a hunt elevation of the engine rocker arm shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the stem of a hydraulic valve lifter.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view my engine rocker arm.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 an assembled engine rocker arm. The arm member 1 comprises a single layer plate metal stamping provided at one end with a convex contacting bearing 2. A substantially semispherical convex contacting bearing 3 is provided in the under surface at the other end 7 of the plate metal arm member 1.

A tubular hub member 4 is secured in an aperture intermediate the ends of the plate metal arm member substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A passageway 6 is drilled from the end 7 of the arm member through the arm member 1, and also through the hub member 4. A second passageway 8 is drilled from the concave contacting bearing 3 upward, intersecting the passageway 6. The outer end of passageway 6 is closed or sealed by the showing a modification of plug 9. The plug 9 may be a tapered pin, lead shot or other material suitable to be pressed into the outer end of the passageway 6 in order to seal the end of passageway as shown in Fig. 3. Thus an internal oil passageway is provided from the inner surface of the hub 4 to the concave contacting bearing 3.

When the engine rocker arm is installed the hub 4 is journaled on a rocker arm shaft and the upper end of the hydraulic valve lifter stem 11 shown in Fig. 5 engages the concave contacting bearing 3. When the engine is operating, oil under pressure is fed from the rocker arm shaft (not shown) through the oil passageway 6 into the oil passageway it A very small portion of the oil lubricates the surface of the concave contacting bearing 3 while the largest portion of the oil is forced into the oil passageway 10 of the hydraulic valve lifter. The oil is then forced into the hydraulic valve lifter mechanism which is not shown because it is not a part of my novel device.

The hub member 4 is preferably secured in the arm member 1 by upset beaded portions 13 and 14 located on opposite sides of the arm member. These beaded portions 13 and 14 are forced securely against the sides of the arm member 1 thus providing an oil seal. It is very important that the oil passageway from the inner surface of the hub 4 to the inner surface of the concave contacting bearing 3 is sealed because oil under pressure must be fed to the oil passageway 12 in the valve lifter stem 12. The hub 4 can also be secured in the arm member 1 by welding or brazing as long as an oil seal is provided between the hub member 4 and the plate metal arm member 1.

Fig. 6 discloses a structure in which the outer end of the oil passageway 6 is open. This construction can be used when an ample supply of oil is fed to the oil passageway 6.

The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention. Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

An engine rocker arm comprising an arm member of substantially rectangular cross section, a tubular hub member intermediate the ends thereof, a convex contacting bearing provided by a cupped portion in the under surface of said arm member near one of said ends, a concave contacting bearing provided by the under surface of said arm member near the other of said ends, an internal oil passageway extending from the inner surface of said tubular hub member to said convex contacting bearing and a pair of substantially annular upset flanges providing an oil seal between said plate metal arm member and said tubular hub member said substantially annular flanges also adapted to secure said tubular hub member in said arm member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

